At the Kultajärvi Castle, celebrations are held on the day before Aurora's birthday. I got to visit the magnificent castle on Earth, and it suddenly felt surreal to me, that Aurora was originally supposed to be raised there, if not for Maleficent's curse. She could have had many celebrations and live a more royal and colorful life!

I was told by Aurora that the celebration would be attended by many royals around the region, and by citizens of Kultajärvi as well. Ships from representatives and delegations from various kingdoms have been arriving at the lakeside port, and from the castle, we could see the colorful flags of the kingdoms flying high above the mast of the ship, among which, Aurora could identify the flags of Tornio, Kajaani, Häme, Savonia and Reval.

Pointing at a grand ship, Aurora told me, "this is the flag of Häme. They are most often recognized by their eye-catching red color, and their royal pattern of three stars and four flowers, with a lynx in the center." She then pointed at another ship, telling me, "and this is the flag of Reval, a golden flag with three blue lions from top to bottom."

We could also observe delegations from Kultajärvi's Northern neighbors, namely the Kingdoms of Áltá, Deatnu and Aanaar, arriving from the roads with the finest-decorated carriages, pulled by a grandiose troop of reindeers. Aurora told me that they prefer to use land-based transport over ships and boats to visit her kingdom, since their kingdoms' rivers flow to the Arctic Ocean, instead of the Baltic Sea as it is for Kultajärvi. In other words, as she said, it would be faster for them to communicate with her kingdom by land.

"Our kingdom has established diplomatic relations with Áltá, Deatnu and Aanaar ever since we encountered each other in the plains beyond the sources of our river tributaries in the North," said Aurora, as she explained the origins of her kingdom's relations with their northern neighbors. "We recognized each other as equal, independent and sovereign kingdoms, and agreed to mark our borders along the boundaries of our river basins. Subsequently, we consulted the the locals of the border region, and built roads connecting our river basins while taking their interests into consideration."

The concept of relations among countries on Earth has intrigued me since I landed on this planet. It is a drastically different system from the Moon, which rules almost all of the Solar system as one country. On Earth, you get to meet foreign peers and explore a diversity of regional cultures - all on a single planet. Perhaps this is the charm of being in the inhabitable zone?

Aurora then told me, "The inhabitants of the northern parts of my kingdom share the same language and culture with Áltá and Deatnu, while the people of Aanaar speaks two variants of the language that are different, but similar. In Áltá and Deatnu, my kingdom is known as Gollijávri, and in Aanaar, it is known as Kollejävri in the region surrounding Lake Aanaar, and Kå'lljäu'rr in the coast around the seaport of Ǩeârknjargg. Both sounds quite similar to Kultajärvi, since our languages are related."

Aurora then continued to regard at the troop of reindeers advancing along the road, and said, "I still remember having read a book about my father following his parents on a state visit to Ohcejohka, the capital of the Kingdom of Deatnu, as a young prince. There, he learnt about the history, culture traditions and language of the kingdom, and how their people preserve, promote and live it in daily life. I would want to visit there some day as well."

Imagining the scene of a young prince of my age visiting a castle in a foreign country with his parents, I expressed in awe, "I would also want to visit there, too."

Aurora has read books about the lineages of those kingdoms in the past centuries, and heard many facts and legends about the historical royals of those countries. She told me, that she remembered reading a book that was published when she was 10 years old. There, she learnt the existence of her generation of royal peers from neighboring countries.

The short hand of the clock pointed to the number 8, as Aurora and I went down the stairs to the Grand Hall.

The guests were arriving at the hall, with court officers setting up tables at the entrance to check their attendances. Some nations have sent their princes and princesses in their finest suits and gowns to Kultajärvi Castle, hoping to "secure alliances and build good diplomatic relations". But actually, behind our royal titles, we're all just teenagers who just want to make friends with peers from different countries and cultures!

Conversation sounds are heard throughout the hall. The royal guests were introducing themselves and their siblings to each other, and I witnessed many simultaneous handshakes from a distance.

I noticed that at the corner, there stood a young man, around four to five years my senior. He was dressed like a prince, with a suit in royal blue, albeit without a sash, unlike me. His hair is short and brown, with a small hint of gold in it. Looking from a distance, I found him to be quite regal and handsome. And yet, I sense subtle sorrow, behind his otherwise emotionless face.

I, being the curious Prince from the Moon who wants to know other Earth royalty, approached him.

"Greetings, Sir. I am Prince Serenity of the Moon Kingdom."

His emotions momentarily shifted, and a smile appeared on his face. "It is my pleasure to meet you, Your Royal Highness. I am Prince Filip of the Kingdom of Reval, but seeing that we are both princes, you may just call me Filip."

"Nice to meet you, Filip. You may just call me Serenity, too!"

We then shook hands with each other.

I realized, that this is the very same Filip, that King Tapani talked about some days ago. How does he feel now, that the one he was originally arranged a marriage with, has now went for another prince? I could only hope that we could still be friends.

He then asked, with a seemingly happy tone. "Tell me, Serenity. Are you courting anyone right now?"

This is a question that I thought I had to answer very carefully. I would not want to hurt him too much, but how? How may I tell the truth without hurting him?

I pondered for a while, before coming up with an answer.

I said, "Yes, I am."

Upon hearing my confirmation, he eagerly asked, "Who is she?"

I then answered, "My lover is a princess from planet Earth. Shortly after I landed on this planet, she discovered me, and we grew attached to each other as days went by. We have had many memorable moments, such as cruising around, having some tea together, and gazing upon the stars. She has also been to the Moon, and she seemed to like the palace and my sisters as well."

I hoped that not mentioning Aurora's name would work, but I doubt that would be the case. My heartbeat kept accelerating, calculating the probability for Filip to break down in front of me...

But thank goodness, that didn't happen. A regal and glad smile appeared on Filip's face, as he regarded me with jubilant eyes.

"That's good for you, Serenity! You know, I never really had my own choice when it comes to love. My kingdom always had this strange tradition of arranged marriages... But I am starting to think, how am I even supposed to marry someone if I don't know how compatible we will turn out to be? After all, I shouldn't marry a lady I just met, let alone a lady I've never met."

His words struck me deep, and got me pondering. On the Moon, free love and compatibility is valued over arranged marriages for the sole sake of political alliance. Or should I say, there is no notion of alliance at all, since the Moon Kingdom rules all of the Solar system except Earth, and has yet to develop interstellar travel to interact with exosolar nations?

"I agree, Filip. Sometimes arranged marriages won't really work well if you two turned out to be incompatible. What motivated me to plan to marry my lover in the future, is that she is very protective of me, and that we understand and love each other very well. We have chemistry."

I then refocused on him and asked, "Who were you originally arranged a marriage with, if I may ask?"

Filip said, "She's the daughter of the king of a nearby country, but it no longer matters for me. I just got the news that her kingdom has decided to break off that betrothal, because she has already found a prince who she thinks would suit her better. Her father, the king, said it was a hard decision for him, but he approved anyway, because the prince's kingdom could provide more for him than my kingdom. My father was also quite disappointed that she went for another prince instead of me, but he understood the princess's true feelings for her true love, and appreciated her father's compensation plan."

I realized, that the "prince" that Filip was talking about, is me. It seems that he also didn't want to mention Aurora and the Moon Kingdom either, as if he has made up his mind, that he should no longer pursue Aurora, and instead, find his own love.

And he proved my assumption correct, with his own words. "This piece of news was shocking to me at first, and I could not believe it. But upon rethinking, I realize that I haven't even formally introduced myself to her anyway. That moment in the christening didn't count, since I was too young to know who I really want to be with, as a three-year-old infant. I don't know if I would really be the best choice for her, or should I say, if she would be the best choice for me."

With a spike in confidence in his tone, he continued, "So, instead of continuing to fantasize about someone I've never really met for sixteen years and ending up having to be disappointed, I have decided, that because there are a lot of ladies out there in the world, I am going to find one on my own, and she will have very great chemistry with me."

He then looked at me with a curious expression on face. "How old are you, if I may ask?"

I naturally replied, "I'm fourteen years old. And you?"

Upon hearing my age, he exclaimed in awe. "You're really young, Serenity! It's great to be young and be in love."

He then sighed, "As for me, I am nineteen, almost twenty."

Like an older brother being proud of his little brother, he told me, "You are very lucky to have your own lover at this age, fellow prince. Throughout my childhood, I couldn't even have a chance to meet my 'future consort', but then I was kept told that I will keep waiting until the time has come for me to meet her, and that I should forget about trying to court another lady. Turns out I have lost almost twenty years, to this foolish idea."

He then turned to a more confident tone. "Now you've inspired this older prince to stand up for his own love. Bravo!"

I blushed. "Thank you, Filip..."

He chuckled, and gave me an affirmative gesture. "No problem, Serenity."

I then wished him, "Have fun in this celebration!"

"You too!"

We then both shook hands again, before we left to meet the other royals of Earth.

Now that I rethink, it actually came to my heart, that Filip was actually a nice person, behind all the stories. I do think that he and Aurora could also have had some chemistry, if they really went together. However, the both of us have already accepted the fact, that fate has brought Aurora and the Moon Prince together, and that the Prince of Reval will find his own true love in no time as well.

I then returned to Aurora's side.

She spoke in a quiet voice, "Did you just talk to Filip?"

I responded quietly, "Yes. He said he has moved on, saying that he didn't like arranged marriages anyway. He will find a lover who loves and understands him.

The both of us didn't mention your name, and neither did he mention, that the prince who his original betrothed went for, is me. Perhaps the shock of learning that the betrothal is cancelled still affected him by a bit, but at the end of the day, we have nothing against each other, and we do feel that we have very great potential of being friends. He even said that I have inspired him to pursue his own true love."

Being glad for Filip, she said, resuming in a normal tone, "That's great for him, I wish him all the best. I think from what you told me, it wouldn't be very difficult for him to find a lover, since he's a good person, after all."

She then refocused her attention on me. "But you, Serenity,"

She kissed me on the cheek, and said, "you are my only one."

Receiving this kiss, I immediately blushed, my bright blue eyes opening wide.

We then held hands and walked around the grand hall, hoping to introduce ourselves together to other royal guests. There are countless delegations moving around the hall in free motion, and we opted for the one right in front of us.

With much birthday-star enthusiasm, Aurora introduced ourselves to the delegation. "Greetings, Your Royal Highnesses. I am Princess Aurora of Kultajärvi, and he is Prince Serenity, who comes all the way up there from the Moon!"

A young princess, wearing a gown of red and white, was surprised by the introduction. "From the Moon?!"

She looked to be of around my age, adorning a gown colored in a gradient from white on the top to red on the bottom, with a pattern of three stars and four white roses, which is the symbol of her kingdom.

Moments later, she seemed to realized that she hasn't introduced herself, and curtsied as hastily as possible. "I am Princess Lumi from the Kingdom of Häme. By my side are my older brothers, Prince Urho, Prince Toivo and Prince Touko!"

Her brothers then followed and bowed, each seemingly carrying a charm in their own red uniforms. Each of them wore a sash of a different color, which, according to Aurora, designated which sub-region of Häme they will be responsible for governing in the future.

Urho, with a red sash, would be responsible for directly ruling the region of Kanta-Häme from the royal capital of Hämeenlinna as future king. He is a little taller than Filip and is around his age, with a hair color reminiscent of ravens and crows. Meanwhile, Toivo and Touko, who are twin brothers of around Aurora's age, would be responsible for governing the Eastern half of the kingdom on their brother's behalf, from the town of Jyväskylä by the Northern end of Lake Päijänne. Toivo and Touko both wear blue sashes, and are of a similar height, a bit shorter than their oldest brother.

Urho said, "Congratulations on your birthday, Aurora. On behalf of our Father and our country, we from the Kingdom of Häme would like to grant you our best wishes."

Aurora responded, "Kiitos, Urkki. I look forward to continued great relations between Kultajärvi and Häme. I believe we would be great rulers for our own countries in the future, and pass on our parents' legacies." (Note from Aurora: Urkki is a nickname for Urho in my language.)

Urho and Aurora then shook hands, as a gesture of goodwill between the two kingdoms.

We then moved across the hall. I noticed a boy of around my age, with a fair and bright visage. His hair is also reminiscent of crows and ravens, but is much longer than those of the princes of Häme. I could say, that his hair is unusually long for a boy, that it is even longer than that of my sister Mars! He also wears a white suit with golden accents, not unlike me. He seemed to have noticed how similar our outfits looked, and he approached me and Aurora.

With a bit of shyness in his facial expressions, he greeted me. "Good day. I am Prince Väinö, heir to the Savonian throne."

Cheerfully, I responded to the fellow prince. "I am Prince Serenity from the Moon Kingdom, but you can just call me Serenity! It is my pleasure that we get to meet at this magnificent celebration."

Aurora also responded, "And I am Princess Aurora of Kultajärvi, and just as Serenity said, it is also my pleasure. You can also just call me Aurora."

He smiled and agreed, "It indeed is! Then you can also just call me Väinö. Or Väiski, if you like."

He then regarded at my suit, and asked, "And Serenity, do you notice that our outfits look quite alike?"

I eagerly responded, "Yes, I noticed that! You also seem to wear white with gold as secondary colors."

Väinö explained, "Black, gold and white are the colors of my kingdom. But since I should wear something that appears more appropriate for a birthday party than for a funeral, I avoided wearing a black outfit, and went for a white suit instead. I think it is more cheerful, and it suits the mood more."

Aurora agreed. "Yes. I'd prefer a white suit over a black one for my birthday party!"

I then looked at the pin at the top right of his outfit. Its position is exactly the same as where I put my star brooch on my suit!

I then asked him, "Väiski, what is the significance of the bow-and-arrow pin that you wear on your outfit?"

Väinö said, "It's a part of my country's coat of arms. Savonia is founded by archers, hence this symbol. The bow-and-arrow insignia is present in many Savonian places, and it also a well-known Savonian symbol in the region."

I quickly realized the similarities between the bow-and-arrow insignia of his kingdom and the crescent moon insignia of mine. I commented, "Just like the Moon Crescent, which represents the Moon Kingdom."

Väinö nodded in agreement, "That's right! I personally like the Moon crescent as a symbol. It is a new start of an eternal and natural cycle."

Aurora added, "This symbol is indeed beautiful for me, too. The grace of a crescent moon is aesthetically pleasing."

We have already met quite many royal peers, but still, both Aurora and I want to meet more. Aurora approached a boy and a girl around her age holding hands together, wearing a fine suit and a gown of an eye-catching blue color with nuances of their tradition. They are of the same height, taller than me, yet shorter than Aurora, their platinum-blonde hair flowing through the jubilant atmosphere of the grand hall.

Approaching them, she complimented, "you two look so beautiful together!"

The boy and the girl then turned around, facing Aurora and responding to her compliment. "Why, thank you! You two look beautiful together as well!"

Aurora then curtsied, introducing herself and me as I bowed along. "I am Princess Aurora of Kultajärvi, and he is Prince Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. May I ask for your names?"

The girl then curtsied back, telling us her name. "I am Princess Soljá of Áltá!"

She then pointed at the boy at her side, introducing him as he bows to us. "And he is Prince Gállagas of Deatnu. Together, we would like to wish you: lihkku beivviin!"

Aurora recognized the phrase, knowing that the young couple is wishing her a happy birthday. She responded in their language, which she has also learned during her years in the forest, "Giitu!"

She then regarded at the young couple, saying, "I would to want to visit your kingdoms some day."

"You should, Aurora. We would proudly welcome you to our kingdoms when you visit us."

The coat of arms pin on Gállagas's suit raised my curiosity about the national symbols of kingdoms on Earth again. "Gállagas, I'm curious. What would you say is the meaning of your national symbol?"

He then pointed at his pin and explained. "My kingdom's coat of arms consists of four major elements: a band of rays, symbolizing the Northern Lights, a four-spiked star above the band, and to the left, right and on top of the star, three riverboats with a torch at each of their bows. The boats on the coat of arms reflect our kingdom's traditional boats that traverse River Deatnu, and the torches they carry symbolizes the flame of hope that lets us survive the coldest winter. The three torch-carrying boats were rowed on top of the reflection of the night sky on the river, which consists of stars and the Northern Lights."

I nodded my head, as I imagined the scene of three boats carrying luminous torches in the night, passing along the river which reflects the shining stars and the colorful auroras of the sky.

I then asked Soljá, "what about yours?"

She then explained, "My kingdom's national symbol is a lávvu, which is a temporary dwelling used in the rural areas of my country. The art of building the lávvu has been passed on from generation to generation - we have built it to be stable, even during strong winds, and the fireplace inside provides us heating and keeps pests away. My mother once explained to me, that even though the lávvu is a temporary dwelling by nature, it is ultimately a place for people to come together in the warmth, sheltering them from the cold winds of the Arctic. In Áltá, we emphasize the sense of community and national unity."

Aurora seemed to enjoy watching me ask the prince and the princess about the meanings of their national symbols. However, she seemed to favor a change in the topic, as she asked, "by the way, I was wondering how the two of you met each other for the first time. Every relationship has a beginning, after all!"

Soljá then responded to the fellow princess, telling her, "I first met Gállagas when I followed my parents on a state visit to Ohcejohka, the capital of the Kingdom of Deatnu. I was then ten years old, while Gállagas has just turned nine. At the Ohcejohka Castle, we were introduced by our own parents to each other, and slowly through time, we began to be close to each other. Gállagas is the spare of his kingdom, and his older sister, Princess Áidná, who is seven years his senior, is expected to be queen. As a result, his parents did not mind sending him to Guovdageaidnu, the capital of my kingdom, to study. The Royal Family of Áltá have agreed to be his host family during his study, and has assigned him a room next to mine at the Guovdageaidnu Castle, effectively allowing him to spend time with me during his free time. He usually stays for a total of eight months in my kingdom, going back to meet his family during the summer months and around winter solstice."

Apparently, Aurora enjoyed listening to their love story. And she is not alone, because I also liked Soljá's accounts of her love with Gállagas, imagining the adorable scene of them meeting each other when they were young.

"That's just so cute!" Aurora looked at the young couple, her eyes shining in fascination. It looks like we can be a couple just as sweet as them, when we further develop our relationship and enhance the bond between us. "When I marry Serenity in the future, perhaps I'll take him to your kingdoms for a honeymoon by the Arctic Coast!"

Soljá chuckled mildly at the thought, assuring Aurora and me, "He will like it."

And it's true, I will like it!

The celebration has lasted for a whole day. We danced, we chatted, and we knew a lot of royals from neighboring countries. A jubilant morning has passed rapidly, as we reach noon and had a fancy lunch. The party then resumed into the afternoon, and it went on all the way for hours and hours, until we were all hungry and all had a nice dinner, while the Sun still has not set yet.

Soon after we savored the nice dinner, the party resumed. However, by that time, the Sun would already be at the Northwest, ready to set. The short hand of the clock in the Grand Hall is about to turn to the number 8, with the long hand pointing to the left. The time would soon come for Aurora to fall into her slumber. Knowing that the sun will set half an hour later, she told me to follow her to her room, as we leave the main hall and go back up to her room.

She opened the door, and subsequently sat down on her bed. "In about half an hour, I will enter my slumber on this bed."

I sat by her side, saying, "Aurora..."

She then shifted her hands through my golden hair, saying, "I may have slain Nehelenia, but that only lifted your curse. After all, it was Maleficent, not Nehelenia, who is behind my curse. She is nowhere to be found, but I have already have a plan in place."

With a mixture of worry and determination to know the plan, I asked, "What plan is it?"

Aurora then revealed her plan to me. "First, I will use my magic to put the whole castle to sleep. I know that the celebrations are supposed to go on beyond sunset, but when the sun sets, I am cursed to enter my sleep, and when the dusk ends and night falls, Maleficent will head straight to the castle to make sure that I am dead. I don't want anyone to have their festive moods ruined by seeing Maleficent, or by knowing about me falling to my curse. Therefore, no one in this castle and in the capital, except you, shall be awake, during the entirety of my slumber."

She then turned to me, speaking in a more serious tone, "performing this spell will require a large amount of magical energy. I remember Mars telling us that when your curse is broken, the Moon Cosmic Power has awakened within you and allowed you to augment the magical power of your sisters, I wonder, if you could also augment my magic, too?"

I understood her request, and responded with a light smile. "I am not very sure, Aurora, but I will do my best."

She then held up her hand, and did a long incantation, seemingly commanding an energy field to put everyone in the castle, except herself and me, into sleep when the Sun starts to set. I could not understand the exact words that are spoken, but I instinctively raised my hand to channel the cosmic power inside me.

The Sun was getting lower and lower in the sky, nearing the horizon with each passing minute. Aurora continued to concentrate and put the castle into sleep, while I tried my best to lend her my power.

After nearly four minutes, the incantation was complete. Aurora let time pass for a while, before saying, "I could sense that the castle has been put to sleep. It worked."

I felt relieved for the moment, knowing that this energy-demanding spell has successfully been cast.

Aurora then continued, "As I said, Maleficent will show up here when night falls. This is exactly where I want her to appear tonight, because when you and your sisters appear before her in this room, she will realize that she has walked into a trap. My curse shall be lifted for once and for all, when you and your sisters remove the source of the curse - and that means Maleficent herself."

I then looked around myself. "But my sisters aren't here..."

She frowned. "Did you forget, about the technique of Sailor Teleport?"

Sailor Teleport.

How foolish am I to forget this, as the brother of the Sailor Guardians?

Looking a bit sad, I said, "Sorry, Aurora."

I then turned to her, "That means, as soon as I see Maleficent, I will call them to teleport down to Earth immediately."

Aurora affirmed, "Exactly. When the Sailor Guardians teleport to this room, Maleficent will realize that she is no match for the power of four planets and the Moon. I believe that you all can defeat her, like how they helped me to defeat Nehelenia and break your curse."

"Thank you, Aurora."

She then paused for a while, before switching to a more romantic tone. "And after you defeat her, I want you to do one more thing."

I answered, "Yes."

She put her hand over my shoulder, and told me, "When dawn breaks on my birthday, please, offer me a kiss, so that I can awaken."

Just as I heard Aurora's most sincere and romantic request for me to kiss her upon dawnbreak, streams of sparkling Lunarian tears began to run down my face. I know, that this imminent battle will decide the fate of the princess I love. I know, that this kiss of true love would finally free Aurora from her curse, after we have defeated Maleficent. I might be a little boy from the Moon, but my unconditional love towards Aurora, compounded with her brave act of breaking my curse, only strengthens my resolve to put an end to this evil fairy!

For the last time before her slumber, I hugged her, promising, "I will, Aurora!"